The last time Michigan updated waste policy was in the 1990s. Back then we were running out of landfill capacity so, in response, Michigan built more landfills than we needed and created extraordinarily low costs for disposal. Consequently, our state now boasts one of the lowest recycling rates in the country.

Governor Snyder has set a goal of achieving a 30% recycling rate for Michigan as a whole by 2018. Since 2015, MEC Deputy Policy Director Sean Hammond has served on the state’s Solid Waste and Sustainability Advisory Panel (SWSAP). The goal of the panel is to guide the state’s solid waste, sustainability and recycling goals.